Is green tea good for me and good for the planet?

Green tea is the fastest growing drink in the UK*. Latest research shows we are turning to green tea more and more as we look for healthier alternatives to alcohol and coffee.

An astonishing 54 boxes of green tea are bought in the UK every minute**. Both men and women are keen on green, with men 10% more likely to buy green tea than women***.

Last year, we carried out a survey to find out why so many of us love drinking green tea. The results indicated that 44% of us are going for green for the health benefits*****.

Green tea’s recent rise in popularity in the West is in part due to a better understanding of its incredible health benefits. Matcha – a type of green tea which is particularly prized for its wellbeing properties – making it the perfect brew for our over-stimulated busy world.

Our aim at Pukka Herbs has always been to bring people closer to the incredible power of plants which is why we insist on the highest grade organic herbs. As the ‘greens' are so good for you, we are delighted to see so many people turning to green and indeed matcha tea. With all this increased demand it does mean that there is even more reason for consumers to be a bit savvy about where they buy their green tea from, making sure its organic and how sustainably it’s sourced.

So what should we be looking out for?

Look for the logo. If your green tea has been fairly traded, you will see a FairWild or a Fair for Life logo. These logos provide assurance that the ingredients have been fairly harvested and that those doing the harvesting are being fairly paid. In the case of FairWild, a social premium is also given to benefit the community in whatever way is most relevant or important, so the whole community can benefit. Because so many pesticides and herbicides are sprayed on conventionally grown ‘mass market' tea, it’s also important to ensure your matcha and your green tea (and herb teas for that matter) are organic. Every one of our Pukka teas is certified organic which means that no artificial chemicals or fertilisers are used. What’s more organic farms have 50% more wildlife and so this means you can drink a delicious green tea which is not only better for you, but also better for the planet.

Interestingly, it is black tea which is declining the most year on year.* So it looks like green really is the new black.